Drama at ARC: sailor lost at sea, search underway

Dramatic hours at the ARC, the Atlantic rally for cruisers in which racing or sport boats also participate, for about 24 hours in fact there has been a man missing at sea. He is a crew member of the Austrian VO65 Ocean Breeze, Dag Eresund, 33, from Sweden, however, the dynamics of the accident are not yet clear. Weather conditions were of very strong trade winds, with gusts around 30 knots and fairly formed sea around 3 meters.

Missing at ARC – The Search

Other vessels besides Ocean Breeze itself were involved in the search operations, particularly the 62-foot Leaps and Bounds which was one of the closest boats in the fleet. The search was coordinated by MRCC (Marine Rescue Coordination Center) Norfolk USA and involved Ocean Breeze, the ARC yacht Leaps & Bounds 2, and the motor vessel Project X. Aerial coverage was not possible due to the distance of the incident from land. The MRCC requested all vessels able to change course to pass through the search area (which will be gradually updated) and to keep an eye out for any signs of people in the water. All running yachts at the ARC have been asked to cooperate with the MRCC’s request.

From the note released by the organization, the missing person had correctly worn a life jacket equipped with a personal search device.